Pacers' Bird expects Turner, Young to have bigger role than typical rookies
The Indiana Pacers are expecting considerable contributions from a pair of rookies as they look to rebound from their first non-playoff season since 2010.
While the Pacers added Monta Ellis - and a handful of solid depth pieces - in free agency, and will get a full season out of the returning Paul George, president Larry Bird sounds most excited about the potential impact of his freshmen, Myles Turner and Joseph Young. Speaking at the announcement of a new practice facility, Bird diverged to talk about the youngsters:
You forgot to introduce the two young men that's most important to me here today. That's Myles Turner and Joe Young.
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(I) expect great things out of them this year. Usually, you bring in rookies and you say nice things about them then they don't play for a couple years. But I expect both of these guys to play, play well. They are very talented.
The Pacers haven't handed a great deal of responsibility to rookies in recent seasons. Since 2010-11, when head coach Frank Vogel took over at midseason, the Pacers have given minutes to just eight rookies. Of those, only George and Damjan Rudez have averaged 15 minutes, and only they and Orlando Johnson have topped 250 total minutes.
But Turner and Young have a major opportunity ahead of them.
Turner, the No. 11 overall pick, will conceivably enter training camp in a wide-open competition for the team's starting job at center. With a ridiculous 7-foot-4 wingspan and 9-foot-4 standing reach, and an outside shot that projects to make him the rare combination of floor-spacer and rim-protector, Turner has by far the highest upside of the team's six traditional frontcourt options. You can read more about Turner in our pre-draft scouting report.
Young, meanwhile, was signed to a four-year deal above the league minimum and with two fully guaranteed years. The No. 43 overall pick could see time as the team's third point guard, providing an element of instant offense off the bench.